


Cheer up, buttercup (You're more alike than you think)

by orphan_account



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff and Humor, M/M, Piper is Bad at Clothes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-02-22 16:48:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2514800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everybody at Camp Half-Blood seems to forget that Piper is bad at picking out clothes. Nico is no exception.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cheer up, buttercup (You're more alike than you think)

**Author's Note:**

> I need more Nico and Piper interaction in my life.

"I need your help picking out clothes."

Piper blinks, looking up at Nico from her (very engrossing, actually) book about historical dual wielding techniques.

She barely has time for a soft, " _Huh?_ " before Nico drags her halfway across camp.

 

\---

 

"Um, Nico?" Piper hazards, as Nico paces the length of the Hades Cabin yet again, muttering angrily under his breath.

"What?" Nico growls, finally looking up at her.

Piper chuckles nervously. Gods, she probably should've mentioned this before they went through Nico's entire closet. "Um... I'm kinda bad at picking out clothes?"

Nico stares at her. "What."

She tries for an apologetic smile. "I'm bad at fashion."

"But you're a daughter of _Aphrodite_." Nico says, managing to make it sound both accusatory and disbelieving at the same time. He's still staring. Piper's getting uncomfortable.

She shrugs. "Some Aphrodite kids inherited great taste in clothes. I inherited charmspeak. It's kinda like you and Hazel, you know?"

Nico finally looks away. "But..." he starts, and Piper feels a stab of guilt for making him sound so despairing. "So you can't help me?"

Piper reaches out, meaning to tug him close for a hug or something, before remembering Nico hates being touched. "I'm sorry."

Nico shakes his head in resignation. "I shouldn't have asked. Sorry to bother you."

She may not be a genius like Annabeth, but Piper isn't completely oblivious. "Hey," she says, softer, gentle. "What's the problem?"

Nico plops down beside her with a sigh. Sometimes, Piper forgets how young he really is - he's got the perpetual world-weary aura of gloom around him, after all - but times like these really drive it home. He's only _fourteen_ , for crying out loud.

"I just..." Nico laughs self deprecatingly. "It's stupid."

Piper frowns. "Nico, I'm your friend. I'm pretty much only in it for the stupid stuff. Come on, spill."

That gets a tiny smile out of him. Piper is justly satisfied. "I-" he starts, before hesitating. "Will kind of asked me out. On a date."

It takes a moment for Piper to realize that the high pitched squealing noise is coming from her. Sometimes it's pretty obvious who her mother is. "Oh, Nico, that's amazing!" she says, after forcibly calming herself down. "So why are you so worried about clothes?"

Nico looks down, fiddling with the silver skull ring on his finger. "Well, my fashion sense is mainly black, black, and black, if you hadn't noticed."

Piper winces. "Okay, when you put it that way, maybe you could stand to be a bit worried about clothes. But hey," she smiles at him, "Cheer up, buttercup."

She laughs when he scowls. It never gets old.

"That wasn't even funny the first time," Nico mutters. "Besides, it was a daisy."

Piper waves him off. "Anyway. What I'm trying to say is, Will won't care how you dress on your, your _date_." She suppresses the shrill squeal that threatens to emerge this time. "He knows how you dress - he sees you all the time. Besides, think of it if the positions were reversed. Would it make a difference for you if Will showed up in his medic scrubs, or, like, a t shirt, or half naked and dressed in rags?"

From the vibrant red blush that spreads across Nico's cheeks, Piper knows he's imagining it. She can't blame him. Will placed extremely well in the last Aphrodite Cabin Hotness List.

(And, of course, the official Aphrodite Cabin Hot Butt List, but she isn't going to mention that right now. She'll bring it up in the cafeteria to see how far she can make him spray his coffee.)

"I guess you're right," Nico says slowly, after his blush has faded somewhat. "I wouldn't care, so maybe Will wouldn't care either."

Piper cheerily bumps his shoulder. "Good."

She lets him ruminate a bit in silence, feeling unnecessarily pleased at the soft, wistful smile currently quirking his mouth. " _Buuuut_ ," she says after a while, drawing the word out needlessly, because she inherited Aphrodite's flair for dramatics too. "If you really want to dress up fancy..."

Nico's instantly looking at her, alert and slightly wild-eyed. "By gods, I do," he breathes, and Piper grins impishly at him.

"Well, di Angelo, you've come to the right person. Mom!" she calls, without missing a beat.

"Yes, dearest?" Aphrodite replies, shimmering into being in front of them, idly inspecting her nails.

Nico startles so hard he nearly falls off the bed. Piper ignores him. "Can you help Nico pick out an outfit for his date?"

Aphrodite breaks into a wide grin. "Oh, with the Solace boy?" she purrs. "That's wonderful."

She waves her hand with a flourish, and Nico is immediately swept up into a shower of petals.

When he's set back down, Nico looks like... well, like a well dressed teenage boy. In dark blue jeans and a comfy-looking buttoned shirt, with hints of gel at the tips of his hair.

"Thanks, mom," Piper says, and she sounds a bit teary to her own ears. Having a parent that always makes time for you, even for the most trivial of things, is still a novelty. "Love you."

Aphrodite blows her a kiss. "See you soon, darling," she says, as a flurry of petals coalesces around her. "I love you too."

"So," Nico says, after a moment. "That was... I like your mom."

Piper nods, trying to hide her pleased grin. "She's pretty great. Hey, now you can go on your date knowing that the goddess of love has personally given you her blessing."

From the way Nico's eyes widen, Piper knows he hadn't thought of it like that. "Now, if you'll excuse me," she says, padding over to the door, "I have a swordfighting class to run. Dual wielding is great fun when you get the hang of it. Oh, and good luck on your date."

"Good luck to you too," Nico says, from behind her. "And... Piper?"

"Yeah?" she says, turning to face him, already halfway through the door.

Nico's smile is small, but no less grateful for it. "Thanks."

Piper winks at him. "Anytime."

 

\---

 

When Piper gets called to the infirmary, a week later, she doesn't think much of it. Jason's probably gone and injured himself again, the big goof. He's still unused to wearing his glasses, but he still insists on using celestial bronze weaponry while sparring.

Inside, however, she finds Will Solace, face set in despair instead of his usual sunny grin.

"Nico told me you helped him last week," he blurts, without prompting. "Now we're going to the movies and I have absolutely no idea what to wear so I need your help picking out clothes.  _Please_."

Piper laughs so hard she cries.

 

(She still helps him, though. Gods know these two are meant for each other.)

**Author's Note:**

> Aphrodite is a great mom. Seriously.


End file.
